By SARA TOTH
Tribune Staff Writer
| Larry and Frances Jones, who founded Feed the Children in 1979, present a model Feed the Children truck to Joe Martin, right, senior vice president and general manager of Bayer Diagnostics. On Wednesday, Feed the Children closed on the purchase of Bayer's Building 1 in Elkhart. The not-for-profit organization will locate its international headquarters and a regional distribution center in the 1-million-square-foot building, which it purchased for $1.
Tribune Photo/JIM RIDER |
ELKHART -- The first office of Feed the Children opened nearly 25 years ago in Larry Jones' Oklahoma kitchen.
Now, this Christian, nonprofit organization provides about half a million meals a day to children and families around the world, Jones said.
"But there are better ways to do what we do," he said. That's why Feed the Children is creating an international headquarters and research facility in Elkhart's empty Bayer Corp. building. Feed the Children bought the 1-million-square-foot building Wednesday for $1.
Jones said his organization plans to work with area companies and universities to research childhood nutrition. Feed the Children has done some field research with doctors visiting children in poor areas and has partnered with food producers, but doing its own scientific research is a new step for the organization, Jones said.
"We've never put all the pieces of the puzzle together," he said. "The Bayer building will become the cornerstone of our continuing passion to meet the needs of children."
Feed the Children will continue its distribution program along with the added research component, he said.
Jones founded Feed the Children in 1979 after a visit to Haiti, where he gave a child money for a meal of bread, butter and soda. The organization ships food to all 50 states and to 51 countries, he said. Feed the Children provided relief supplies at Ground Zero on Sept. 11 and is helping feed people in Iraq now, Jones said.
In addition to serving as a research facility, the Bayer building will offer warehouse space so that Elkhart will also become a regional distribution center for food. The organization currently has distribution centers in New Jersey, Tennessee, Oklahoma and California.
Jones expects the warehouse part of the operation to open within the next few months and provide about 100 new jobs. Eventually, Feed the Children could bring up to 500 new jobs to Elkhart.
The organization will employ people in transportation, administration and research, in addition to warehouse work.
Feed the Children will move into the building by the end of this week, Jones said, but the jobs won't appear overnight.
"It's a very major mission," said Patricia Kearney, a spokeswoman for the organization.
Feed the Children officials brought a truckload, about 3,300 pounds, of food to Elkhart's Salvation Army on Wednesday.
"We just don't go anywhere without food," Jones said.
Jones and city officials said Elkhart will benefit by being home to a well-known organization.
"The Elkhart name will get out because Elkhart will be on television nationally," Jones said, referring to the programs he tapes for television to educate people about hunger and solicit donations.
Mayor David Miller said Feed the Children's mission fits well with Elkhart's slogan, "The City With a Heart."
"That we get to partner with you is a blessing for us," Miller told Jones at a news conference. "That we get to be a part of that orchestra that God is playing across the world is amazing."
Staff writer Sara Toth:
stoth@sbtinfo.com
(574) 295-6205
